Chapter 431: It’s Autumn Harvest Season Again, Not Cooling Down is Just a Dream!
After the Prince of Great Xia, Xia Tianqiong, left Heavenly Prison, he was quickly taken away and disappeared within the capital city. It’s clear that the person who took the Prince of Great Xia was one of his trusted allies. This scene was quickly noticed by someone with ill intentions, and the news spread rapidly.
“They’ve released the Prince of Great Xia!”
“The Great Wu court is truly cunning! Releasing the Prince of Great Xia at this time is clearly an attempt to ignite conflict within the Great Xia court and create chaos!”
“That sounds like a great plan, but now the power of the Eastern Palace in Great Xia has already been greatly diminished! Whether the Prince of Great Xia can survive and return is still a question!”
“Let’s watch and see. There are certainly many people who want the Prince of Great Xia dead.”
“Indeed, his own brothers won’t spare him!”
“If I were the Prince of Great Xia, I’d definitely use this opportunity to escape far away and never return!”
Within the Great Xia court, upon learning of this, the Prince of Great Xia’s royal brothers immediately dispatched numerous skilled individuals to pursue him. They even offered a reward of up to 10 million taels of silver to ensure the Prince of Great Xia wouldn’t return safely. However, since his release from Heavenly Prison, the Prince of Great Xia had vanished without a trace. Killing him was easier said than done.
Meanwhile, in Great Xia’s Heavenly Prison, the former national teacher, the Daoist known as Kongxu (Empty Void), was imprisoned. He had committed an unforgivable crime by concocting a fake elixir of immortality, which led to the death of the Great Xia Emperor. Normally, someone as deeply implicated as him would have been executed. However, perhaps due to the turmoil within the Great Xia court or the shifting alliances, he had been forgotten, and his life was spared.
The unscrupulous Daoist had resigned himself to his fate, lying low and taking each day as it came. But just then, a massive commotion erupted outside. The Daoist, who had been lying flat as a pancake, suddenly sprung to his feet, perked up his ears, and muttered softly, “What’s happening outside? Why is it so noisy?”
You see, this was Heavenly Prison, a place heavily guarded by numerous formidable experts. It should have been a quiet and secure place with no major incidents. However, the intense sounds of a brawl coming from outside gave the unscrupulous Daoist a sense that something unusual was happening.
At that very moment, they heard a thunderous crash. The gates of Heavenly Prison were breached, and an elderly man in white robes stormed in. Upon spotting the unscrupulous Daoist, he exclaimed with joy, “Imperial Teacher, I’ve come to rescue you!”
The unscrupulous Daoist was overjoyed, “Bailong Wang, you’ve come to rescue me?” He recognized the person before him as a revered master and a powerful figure in the presence of the Great Yan Emperor.
The elderly man in white robes smiled and replied, “Indeed! I have come on orders from above to rescue you, Imperial Teacher. Please come with me, and we will take you away to safety.”
“Very well! Quickly rescue me,” the unscrupulous Daoist nodded happily.
The white-robed elderly man then unleashed several sword qi strikes, shattering the iron walls of the unscrupulous Daoist’s cell. The Daoist ran out eagerly, following the elderly man, and they escaped from the capital city, disappearing without a trace.
About an hour later, they arrived at a dilapidated temple deep in the mountains. The unscrupulous Daoist brushed off the dust and straw from his clothes, changed into a clean Daoist robe, tidied his somewhat messy hair, and then respectfully bowed to the elderly man before him and the others, saying, “Thank you, Bailong Wang, and all the heroes who saved me! If you ever need my assistance in the future, please let me know, and I will do everything in my power!”
The people present were deeply moved and flattered.
“Please, Imperial Teacher, no need for such formalities!”
“Imperial Teacher, there’s no need for such a grand gesture; aren’t we old friends?”
“It was His Majesty who ordered us to rescue you, so you should thank him!”
The unscrupulous Daoist bowed again, saying, “To thank His Majesty is one thing, but I must also express my gratitude to all of you who risked your lives to save me. If it weren’t for your timely rescue, I might have perished in Great Xia. Infinite gratitude!”
Everyone exchanged polite pleasantries for a moment.
Then, the Bailong Wang asked curiously, “Imperial Teacher, it’s said that you were also brewing the elixir of immortality in Great Xia. But why… did the Great Xia Emperor pass away after consuming it?”
Everyone was quite curious about this question and perked up their ears to listen.
“Ah, because that elixir was fake!” the unscrupulous Daoist replied indignantly.
“Fake?” They all looked surprised.
“No wind, no rain, no heavenly tribulations; naturally, it was fake,” the unscrupulous Daoist explained.
“Since it was fake, why…” someone began to ask.
The unscrupulous Daoist sighed, “Because ever since I was captured and brought to Great Xia, the Great Xia Emperor forced me to refine the elixir of immortality. If I refused, he threatened my life.”
“But you know, a loyal minister doesn’t serve two masters,” the unscrupulous Daoist said with great resolve. “Although I may be a person of questionable morals, I understand this principle well. Under his coercion, I had no choice but to craft a fake elixir of immortality to deceive him.”
“The result was that the elixir’s effects were too potent. The Great Xia Emperor had a frail constitution and couldn’t withstand it. So, after consuming the elixir, he met his end. Consequently, I was bound in chains and thrown into the prison!”
“I see!” Everyone suddenly understood. Bailong Wang chuckled, “His Majesty suspected as much, which is why he sent me to rescue you, Imperial Teacher. Not only do you possess extraordinary alchemical skills, but you also have an unshakable sense of patriotism. After we return, I will definitely report this to His Majesty, and he will reward you handsomely!”
The unscrupulous Daoist modestly replied, “If His Majesty insists, this humble Daoist cannot refuse his grace.” Inwardly, he felt quite pleased with himself, thinking, “I’ve easily fooled them; I’m indeed quite clever! Hahaha!”
Then, Bailong Wang extended an invitation, “Imperial Teacher, please accompany me back to Great Yan now. His Majesty has been eagerly anticipating your return for over three months. At the same time, we have prepared the necessary ingredients. I kindly request that you once again open the furnace and refine the elixir of immortality.”
“Refine the elixir of immortality again?” the unscrupulous Daoist’s eyes widened in shock. You see, not long ago, he had just crafted an elixir of immortality that ended up causing the Great Xia Emperor’s demise. Now, they wanted him to make another one? What if something went wrong again? What if he accidentally killed the Great Xia Emperor once more?
“Is there a problem, Imperial Teacher?” the Bailong Wang asked, puzzled.
“Of course not… there’s no problem at all!” the unscrupulous Daoist pretended to be confident but felt like crying on the inside. He knew that this group had come for the elixir of immortality as well. If he dared to voice any concerns, he might not live to see the next day. But how would he fool them this time? What if he couldn’t? He was in a bind!
The unscrupulous Daoist’s heart was heavy. Ever since he had crafted the elixir of immortality, it seemed like he had lost control over his own life.
Bailong Wang chuckled, “Since there’s no problem, Imperial Teacher, please come with me. His Majesty is growing impatient.”
“Very well… we will go,” the unscrupulous Daoist nodded, looking utterly defeated.
“Imperial Teacher, we are heading to Great Yan to welcome you. Why do you seem somewhat uneasy?” someone inquired.
“I’m actually quite delighted!” the unscrupulous Daoist replied.
“If you’re delighted, why aren’t you smiling?”
“I am smiling, aren’t I?” The unscrupulous Daoist forced a wide grin that looked more like a grimace. Then, under the escort of the Bailong Wang and the others, he set off for Great Xia, trying to appear “cheerful.”
Meanwhile, news of the escape from Great Xia’s prison and the disappearance of the Empty Void Daoist quickly spread throughout the realm.
“The Empty Void Daoist who killed the Great Xia Emperor has escaped!”
“Someone must have abducted him because they want to obtain the elixir of immortality he can create.”
“That’s my guess too! Great Xia must be in turmoil now.”
“Yes, it’s quite embarrassing for them that the mastermind behind their Emperor’s death has fled.”
“Alas, Great Xia’s reputation continues to plummet, with so many people trampling over them!”
“They bear the name of an empire but lack the substance of one!”
Everyone found Great Xia’s situation to be quite amusing. However, at this moment, the entire Great Wu Empire was not in the mood to pay attention to external matters.
Because it was once again the annual harvest season. The success of this year’s grain harvest directly determined the fortune of the nation for the next year. It was related to whether the ordinary people could have enough to eat, and it was linked to the stability and prosperity of the entire country.
For the Great Wu Empire, this harvest season was even more critical. Starting from the beginning of the year, they had been planting Taiping rice all over the country. This rice variety was high-yielding and could adapt to various dry and cold weather conditions. Now, finally, the time had come for them to inspect the results of this rice planting.
It meant ending hunger, allowing the entire population to become prosperous quickly, and signifying the nation’s increased strength and prosperity. It was an exciting moment!
So, on this morning, the Empress led civil and military officials to the fields near the capital.
There, she saw field after field of golden rice swaying in the breeze. The Empress was delighted and exclaimed, “My loyal officials, look at how well these rice seedlings have grown. They’re all so tall and strong, they could provide shade under them! And look at these rice ears, like little brooms – there must be plenty of grain inside! My officials, what’s the estimated grain yield in the capital this year?”
Lin Beifan smiled and replied, “Your Majesty, since the beginning of the year, we have constructed numerous water management facilities, implemented various fertilizers, and also planted high-yield Taiping rice! Thanks to favorable weather, the growth of Taiping rice is excellent! After preliminary estimates, compared to last year, our grain yield in the capital has more than doubled!”
“More than doubled!!!” Everyone gasped in amazement.
You see, even a 10-20% increase in grain yield would be considered a bountiful harvest year. But now, it had doubled – just how much grain was that? Just thinking about it was incredibly exciting!
